Orkney Stays
Kirkwall harbour with St Magnus Cathedral at golden hour

Orkney Islands

Kirkwall Accommodation

Orkney's historic capital — Norse heritage, vibrant culture, and island charm

36 properties available

About Kirkwall

A guide to staying in Kirkwall

Kirkwall is the capital of the Orkney Islands and the place most visitors arrive first, whether they step off the NorthLink ferry from Aberdeen or land at Kirkwall Airport on a short Loganair hop from Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow. It is a working harbour town built around the red sandstone walls of St Magnus Cathedral, founded in 1137 and still the focal point that shapes Kirkwall's flagstone streets and narrow wynds and unhurried rhythm. With roughly 9,000 residents, Kirkwall is small enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes, yet busy enough to feel like a proper town, with independent shops, supermarkets, a hospital, and a steady run of restaurants, bistros and pubs.

For visitors, Kirkwall functions as Orkney's natural base. Bus routes radiate to Stromness, Birsay, Stenness and the South Isles via the Churchill Barriers, and the inter-island ferries to Shapinsay, Westray and Sanday all leave from the harbour. Most major sights — the Cathedral, the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces, the Orkney Museum, the Highland Park and Scapa distilleries, and Scapa Beach — are within a fifteen-minute walk of the centre, which is why so many travellers stay here even if they plan to roam the West Mainland or cross to Hoy.

Accommodation in Kirkwall covers the full spectrum. There is a cluster of central hotels and inns within five minutes of the Cathedral, several mid-range guest houses on the residential streets above the harbour, and a growing number of self-catering apartments and townhouses for groups, families and longer stays. Prices are highest in June, July and the week of the St Magnus International Festival in late June, with much better value in May and September — arguably the best months to visit, with long daylight, fewer crowds and reliable ferry crossings.

A small detail most guidebooks miss: the Cathedral's Sunday afternoon organ recitals are free, open to the public, and one of the best ways to hear the building's extraordinary acoustics without buying a festival ticket.

Find the right stay

Where to stay in Kirkwall, by traveller type

Best for first-time visitors

Hotels in the centre put you within a five-minute walk of the Cathedral, the Earl's Palace, the bus station and the main restaurants. Ideal if you want to land, drop the bags, and explore on foot.

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Best for families

Self-catering townhouses and apartments give you a kitchen, washing machine and space to spread out, plus a quieter night than a busy harbour-front hotel. Most are within walking distance of Pickaquoy leisure centre and pool.

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Best for couples

Several smaller guest houses and B&Bs in Kirkwall have just three or four rooms, often with sea or harbour views. Better atmosphere than chain hotels and usually a proper Orkney breakfast.

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Best for foodies and whisky lovers

Stay near the centre and you can walk to The Reel for live folk music, The Foveran for fine dining, and Highland Park for the early-evening distillery tour. Plenty of central hotels and inns put all three within reach.

Find a central stay

Common questions

Kirkwall accommodation FAQ

What is the best area to stay in Kirkwall?
The streets immediately around St Magnus Cathedral and Broad Street are the most convenient — you are walking distance from restaurants, the bus station, the Earl's Palace and the harbour. Stay further up Junction Road or out towards Old Scapa Road if you want a quieter night and have a hire car.
Are there hotels near Kirkwall ferry terminal?
The NorthLink ferry from Aberdeen arrives at Hatston, about 1.5 miles north of the town centre. There are no hotels at the terminal itself, but central Kirkwall hotels are a five-minute taxi ride away, and the bus into town meets most arrivals. If you are catching the inter-island ferry, those leave from the main harbour right in the town centre.
How far is Kirkwall airport from town?
Kirkwall Airport (KOI) is about 2.5 miles south-east of the town centre. A taxi takes around five to seven minutes. The number 4 bus runs roughly hourly between the airport and Kirkwall bus station for a few pounds.
What is the cheapest way to stay in Kirkwall?
The most affordable options are usually self-catering apartments booked for three nights or more, where the per-night rate drops noticeably, and small guest houses on the residential streets. Mid-week stays in May or September are the best-value combination of price and weather.
Is Kirkwall walkable?
Yes. The centre is compact and almost everything a visitor needs — Cathedral, palaces, museum, restaurants, shops, harbour — is inside a fifteen-minute walk. You only need a car for the wider Mainland, the distilleries on the edge of town, or trips to the West Mainland and South Isles.
What is there to do near Kirkwall?
Within walking distance: St Magnus Cathedral, the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces, the Orkney Museum, the harbour and Scapa Beach. Within a short drive: Highland Park and Scapa whisky distilleries, the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, the Churchill Barriers, and the Neolithic sites at Maeshowe and the Standing Stones of Stenness.